Google gets the Credit (Card Numbers)

25052007

Here’s an interesting story that I found on Slashdot (via The Consumerist) related to compromised credit cards. Apparently, people are using Google’s powerful search technology to locate compromised CC numbers. It’s amazingly simple (like the Google interface itself). All you have to do is search for the first 8 digits of a standard 16-digit credit card with a search string like “nnnn nnnn” (got to love that phrase searching).

Bennett Hasleton, the author of the story, ran some tests and managed to find names and addresses attached to the credit card numbers. When you find links to one compromised card number others aren’t too far behind. According to Bennett the credit card companies have known about this particular vulnerability for years and have yet to address the issue. If this story doesn’t get their attention, then maybe the rise in identity theft will – or maybe we should stop using our credit cards on the Internet (that might get their attention too). For the full geek version go here.